OUR VIEW: A glowing example of team work

Sunday

Jul 22, 2018 at 2:00 AM

Two weeks ago, an unlikely coalition of about 2,000 people gathered on the side of a mountain in Thailand, unified by a single mission. The crowd included members of the United States military, a group of elite British divers, a Danish diving instructor, worried Thai parents, Australian medical professionals, and hundreds of people from all over the world who had dropped whatever was happening in their lives at the moment and found their way to Southeast Asia, knowing nothing more than that they wanted to help. Their remarkable story - and the story of the rescue of a dozen young soccer players and their coach - offers a tale of hope and redemption at time when much of the world seems ready to turn its collective backs on one another.

For two weeks, the story of a dozen young soccer players and their 25-year-old coach transfixed the world. The story undoubtedly touched parents the globe over, but there was much more to this rescue mission than the notion of “there but for the grace of God go I.” You could feel that millions of people were holding their collective breath, hoping beyond hope for the possibility of a happy ending, a possibility that seemed to grow slimmer with each passing day.

In the interim, we learned about the team’s coach, Ekkapol Ake Chantawong, a former Buddhist monk who had taught his team the value of meditation and who routinely led them on tours of the caves as a team-building activity. That skill of being able to step back from themselves, to conserve energy, and to clear their minds undoubtedly played a role in their ability to survive on limited food, in the dark, a mile underground for more than a dozen days. We also learned that Coach Ake was, in the end, in the worst shape, having selflessly given up his rations and water during the first few days they were trapped underground so that his boys could better survive.

What we did not hear were recriminations and a search for blame. We did not hear about any of the parents planning lawsuits against the coach, the soccer team, or anyone else involved. Quite the contrary; what we saw were parents humbly thanking each and every one of the volunteers who had turned out to help save their boys.

What else did we not see? We did not see a grandstanding leader placing himself front and center at a time of tragedy, using social media to promote himself. Instead, the king of Thailand realized that this rescue operation had nothing to do with him, so he humbly stood back, out of the spotlight, and quietly donated supplies to help with the rescue effort.

And what did the Thai people do? They did not sit on their hands and mumble to themselves that someone should do something. Instead, they showed up by the hundreds, ready to do whatever they could, including preparing thousands of meals for the volunteer army, and hauling rocks up a mountainside in an effort to close off any places where more water could flow in, all because they felt compelled to do so.

Were mistakes made? Without question. Some well-meaning but uninformed volunteers may have actually harmed rather than helped the situation before they were redirected. Further, there is little question that international profiteers have already set up shop in Thailand, looking for ways to translate this near-tragedy into some sort of cash cow. And there will undoubtedly be some soul searching and questions asked about what could have been done and what should be done in the coming years.

But for two weeks, the world coalesced behind a worthy cause, demonstrating that we are stronger and better together than we are alone; that like the soccer team, our survival as a species hinges on our ability to see ourselves as part of a larger team; and that contrary to the beliefs of some, collaboration and not isolation provides humankind with the best hope of a brighter future

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